Budding Writers Contest

Published on January 06, 2020

Budding Writers Contest

It's simple - show off your writing and you could win!

Submit now

Are you a Western student? The Bachelor of Medical Sciences Association (BMSA) and Western Libraries are proud to present this opportunity to unleash your creativity, show off your writing, and compete to win amazing prizes!

This year's theme is artificial intelligence (AI). To enter, follow the guidelines of one of the three categories below and write about any aspect of AI that interests you.

What can I submit?

Submit a critical essay, personal essay, or short story about AI.

Submission Categories

Critical essay

To what extent are the fears surrounding the emergence of AI justified? Your essay should inform or convince the reader with research and well-formed arguments.

Max. word count: 1,000

Personal essay

How will AI integrate with society, what are its most important applications in society, or how will the pursuit of superintelligence manifest. This essay is intended to be less formal and writers are encouraged to use a narrative style to express their creativity and opinions.

Max. word count: 1,000

Short story

Write a fictional narrative in prose about AI. All types of stories - humour, horror, fantasy, science fiction - are accepted.

Max. word count: 2,000

How do I submit?

  1. Create an account on Scholarship@Western, linking your @uwo email
  2. Write about AI, submitting your paper to Scholarship@Western

What can I win?

Top prize - Best Writing Submission award:

  • $200 Amazon gift card
  • Published in Scholarship@Western

Top category prize

  • $50 Amazon gift card
  • Published in Scholarship@Western

Panel of Judges

  • Michael Anderson, Chair in Philosophy of Science, Rotman Institute of Philosophy
  • Aaron Schneider, Assistant Professor, English and Writing Studies
  • Erin Johnson, Librarian at Western Libraries
  • Anabel Quan-Haase, Professor, Department of Sociology

Submit now